Projectile.



No. 668,6I8.- Patented Feb. 26. 190|] F. ALESSL PROJECTILE. plication filed Aug. 1,

UNITED STATES PATENT EIGE.

FEDERICO ALESSI, OF NEW YORK, N.

PROJECTILB SPECIICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 668,618, dated February 26, 1901 Application flled August 1. 1900. Serial No. 25,598. (NdmodeL) T (LZZ whom it may concrn:

Be it known that I, Fnnnmco'Awssn asubject of the King of Italy, residing at New'York,

in the county of New York and State of 'New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Projectiles, of which the following is a full and complete Specification, suoh as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to ordnance projectiles; and the object thereof is to provide a shell of this class which Possesses great explosive power and improved means for pro- .d ucing the explosion thereof when the shell strikes a Ship or other object; and with -thisand other objects in view the invention consists in an ordnance projectile or shell constructed as hereinatter described and claifi1ed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the followng specification,of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of 'm improvement are designated by the same reference characters in each of the views, and in which Figure1is a longitudinal section of ashell constructed according to my invention, and

Fig. 2 a cross-section thereof on the line2 2.

In the pra tice of my invention I provide a shell 5 of the usualform,said shell being conical at one end, as shown at 6, and cylindrical at the other, as shown at 7, and within the shell is a conical-shaped space or chamber 8,

"the form of which is similar to that of the shell, the said space being closed by an end cap 9, which'is' screwd into the cylindrical "end of the shell, as shownin Fig. 1.

Extending backWardly from the point of the shell, centrally of the inner space thereof and formed ,integ'rally With the shell, is a tube 10, which connectswith a cross-bar or cross-head 11, by m'eans of a conical portion 12, and said conical portion 12 is hollow and .communicates With the central bore 13 of the tube 10, and the said central bore 13 of the tube is extended and opens outwardlyjacent to the cross-bar 11 is 'asupplemental cross-bar or cross-head 15, which is preferably seoured in place by screws or bolts 16,

' and between the supplemental cross baror head 15 and the cross bar or head 11 is a transverse space 17, in which are mounted radially-movable bolts 18. A bolt 19 is also placed in the tube 10 and projects forwardly through the .point of the shell, as shoWn at 20, and theinner end thereof is pivotally connected with two links 21, each of which is pivotally Connected with a short supplamental link 2.2, and the links 22 are pivotally connectsd With the bolts 1S,as clearly shown in the drawings.

Formed in the cross head 01' bar 11 at the opposite sides of the conical inner end of the tube 10are two hole or openings 23, in which are placed percussion-caps 24, and the bolts 18 are provided adjacent to their pivotal conv nctionsWith the supplemen tal links 22, eacl1 with a forwardly-directed projection 25, and ,said bolts, at theirbutcr ends each With a 05 lindrical head 26, and these heads fit in and are adapted to move in transverse radial bores 27,formed in the bodyof the shell and in ra' dial line with and in communication with the space 17, invhich the bolts 18 are mounted.

The interior (if the shell is filled With any suitable highly-explosive material adapted to be ignited and exploded by the percussioncaps 24, andthe operation will be readily understood fro'1n the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accori1panying drawings and the followin gstatement thereof.

Suppose a shell to be fired at the side of the ship provided With armer-plate. The moment the point of the shell strikes the side of the ship the bolt 19 is driven inwardly and the point of .the shell penetrates the side of the ship. At the same time the bolts 18 are driven ont radially from the sides of the shell and the percussion-caps 24 are ignited by the projections 25 and the shell is exploded. heads 26 of the bolts 18 are at the sametime driven outwardly and comingin contact With the armer-plate of the ship retard the passage of the shell therethrough, and the explosion coeurs before the shell passes through the side of the ship, and instead of making a hole through the side of the shiplarge enough The IOO

for the shell to pass through the side of the 1 ship or a large portion thereof Will be blown 'out.

- The bolts 18 and the heads26 thereof may be made of any desireu transverse thickness, and said bolts are -simply intended to retard the passage of the shell through any thing or objeet Which may be struck thereby in order to cause the explosion of the shell as it passes through said object.

It will be seen that the angle at which the links 21 are connected with the supplemental links 22 and With the bolt 19 is such that when the boit 19 is driven inwardly the boite 18 Will be projected through the sides of the shell only far enough to acco mplish the reSult hereinbefore set out, and it Will be apparent that changes in and modifications of theconstruction herein described may be made without departing froin the spirit of my invention or sacrifiuing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and 'desi1e to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A sh ell which provided at the other with a removable head or closure device, Said shell being provided centrally of the conical end with a tube which extends rearwardly and is in connection wi th a transverse head secured in the shell, said transverse head be ing provided.withatransverse passage in communication with said tube, and the central bore of said tube being projected through the conical point of the shell, and a boit mounted in said tube and projecting throughthe point of the shell, the

trally of the conical end with a tube Which extends rearwardly and is in connection with is conical atone end, and

described.

A sheli which is conica1 at one end, and

rovided at theother with a rendovable head or elosure device, said shell being proxided centrally of the conical end with a tube which extends rearwardl and is in connection with a transverse head secured in the shell, said transveree shell being provided with a transverse passage in communication With said tube, and the central bore of said tube being projected through the oonical point of the shell, and a.bolt inounted in said tube and projected tbrough the pointof the shell, the inner end of said boit being connected by meaus 0f pivoted links With transverselymovable boite mounted in said head and adapted to be projected through the sides a of the shell, said boite being aise adapted to explode the shell, by means of caps set in said transverse head and projections formed on said transversely-movable bolts,substaxtially as shown and described.

In testiinony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signedmy name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 28th day of July, 1900.

- FEDERICO ALESSI.

Witnesses:

,C. C. OLSEN,

F. A. S TEWART. 

